This book should be translated into as many languages as possible, and every library should have at least one copy of it. A moving and beautifully written verse novel based on the life of the first climate scientist, Eunice Newton Foote (1819–1888). In a scientific article she published in 1856, she wrote:“An atmosphere of that …
The country was freed when the Soviet Union dissolved. However, the old powers were still waiting for a chance to snap back, while other bullies were already eyeing the oil and human resources — whether foreign powers, insecure and revenge-seeking neighbours, or homegrown dictators. People are trapped in bad governance, walking a tightrope to stay …
(scroll down for German review) During his lifetime, Caspar David Friedrich was often criticized. Viewers found his paintings too dark and too melancholic. They were weary of his endless winters, clouds, and mist. Many complained that his figures turn their backs to us, the famous Rückenfigur, denying us a clear view of their faces and …
In September 1710, ten-year-old Agata buried her mother. She was left with her frail grandmother and her incompetent father. Wanting Agata to be protected and educated, her grandmother entrusted her to the care of the Ospedale della Pietà — a convent, orphanage, and music school for girls. The second and third parts of the book …
This historical fiction is set during the Second World War, amid the London Blitz, told through the eyes of children and teenagers. The teenage budding love, the romance between a soldier and a war officer, and the friendships formed around the music club were all heartwarming to read. Some parts felt a little too good …
Will and Lu travel to Seville for their second honeymoon, exactly during Semana Santa (Holy Week). It’s a wonderful mix of magical realism, time travel, and doppelgängers, with vivid imagery that reminded me of the film The Grand Budapest Hotel. I could imagine myself in Seville, capturing a picture of a café painted bright yellow, …
The swan song of Mario Vargas Llosa (1936–2025), Le dedico mi silencio, is a love letter to Peruvian Creole music. “A vision of Creole music as the key to defeating prejudice and opening hearts and minds.”“Society would come together in such a way that no one was beneath consideration and all were treated as worthy …
The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson is a mind-blowing, unputdownable Polynesian epic. While the book is about a specific group of people in the ancient Tongan Kingdom, exploring their beautiful culture and sometimes difficult practices, it is highly relatable to today’s world and to each individual. It is a vast book that has the universe and …
A beautifully illustrated collection of six stories by Oscar Wilde, perfect for children aged 4–11 and beyond. The six stories included are: The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince, The Devoted Friend, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Remarkable Rocket, and The Young King. I especially enjoyed the descriptive language. It vividly brings each image to …
“We all encounter Austen differently and from the position of where and when we read her. How we read her changes as the world changes around us. And it is perhaps above all this relentless change that keeps us going back to Jane Austen. She knew that every life was a series of events – …